God’s Plan of Salvation Part 2 – The Gospel

God’s Plan of Salvation Read I Corinthians 15:1-5 ◦Christ died for our sins ◦He was buried ◦He was raised on the third day ◦He appeared Paul said that the Corinthians were saved by the gospel The word gospel means good news The gospel is good news because it tells us how to solve our problem of sin

God’s Plan of Salvation Good News! Christ died for our sins! Notice how the Bible operates like a good news / bad news story First, you get the bad news – your sins condemn you to hell Then you get the good news – Christ died for your sins

God’s Plan of Salvation Our story begins back in the Old Testament When God brought the people out of slavery in Egypt, He instituted the Passover “… and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you …” (Exodus 12:13) This became known as the Lord’s Passover Jesus Christ is our Passover – 1 Corinthians 5:7

God’s Plan of Salvation Death cannot touch one on whom the blood of Christ has been sprinkled – see Hebrews 10:22 “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) Good News! Christ was sacrificed, as the Passover Lamb, for our sins!

God’s Plan of Salvation God gave the Law and the priesthood to the Israelites on Mount Sinai Part of the Old Testament sacrificial system was the offering of a male goat for the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement The sacrifices of the Old Testament merely pointed forward to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God

God’s Plan of Salvation Since it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, God sent His Son as the perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of the world Read John 19:31-35 “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34) Good News! Christ is the perfect sacrifice, and shed His blood for our sins!

God’s Plan of Salvation In God’s plan, blood must be shed in connection with forgiveness of sins “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22) The cross is God’s redemption center, where our worthless sins are exchanged for eternal life – see Galatians 3:13-14

God’s Plan of Salvation The blood of the cross was prefigured by the Old Testament animal sacrifices The blood of Christ gives us a clean conscience “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14) Good News! Christ shed His blood so that we might have clean consciences!

God’s Plan of Salvation Summary ◦God has locked up all people in the jailhouse of sin ◦God has provided a solution ◦Jesus died for our sins Additional resources for the gospel ◦The Passion of the Christ ◦The Gospel of John (the movie)

God’s Plan of Salvation Part 3 – What must I do?